Terry Rozier, the NBA player facing criminal sports betting charges, has resolved at least one other matter with the federal government: a multimillion-dollar tax lien.
On Oct. 29, the IRS filed a certificate of release in Broward County (Fla.), where Rozier resides, confirming he satisfied the lien of $8.2 million, which was originally assessed in August 2023.
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The release came one day after ESPN reported on the lien, which occurred a few months after Rozier was accused of taking part in a betting scheme involving prop wages on his performance as a member of the Charlotte Hornets.
A federal indictment alleges Rozier tipped off a friend, Deniro Laster, that he planned to exit early from a game on March 23, 2023, against the New Orleans Pelicans, and that Laster and other individuals used that information to place $200,000 in wagers predicting Rozier would underperform his statistical averages.
Rozier, who was averaging 35.3 minutes and 21.1 points per game at the time, exited the contest against New Orleans less than 10 minutes into the first quarter and did not return, finishing with five points.
Rozier’s attorney, Jim Trusty, told ESPN last month that Rozier only actually owed $9,000 on the $8 million-plus tax bill and that it had already been paid.
“We just need the IRS to help remove the now-defunct lien,” Trusty said at the time. The attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment from Sportico.
Following his arrest on Oct. 23, Rozier—currently with the Miami Heat—was placed on immediate leave by the NBA, a move swiftly condemned by the NBA Players Association, which said it would appeal.
The government alleges that after the March 23, 2023 game, Laster drove from Philadelphia to Rozier’s home in Charlotte, where they counted the tens of thousands of dollars in profits that the scheme had netted. Rozier’s scheduled arraignment is next month, and his attorney Trusty has said the player plans to plead not guilty.
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